World · East Asia & Pacific · 22 hrs ago
Rights groups call for release of three detained activists in Hong Kong and Thailand
Two human rights groups called for the immediate release of three detained activists in Hong Kong and Thailand.
Chow Hang-tung, a Hong Kong human rights lawyer, is detained in Hong Kong.
Thai human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa and activist Jatupat Boonpattararaksa are detained in Thailand.
All three have received the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, which recognizes work to promote human rights.
The prize was established in 2000 in the spirit of Gwangju’s 1980 pro-democracy uprising, where a military crackdown killed more than 200 civilians and injured 1,800 others.
The groups said the detentions reflect a crisis of democracy in Asia and expressed support for activists in Thailand, Hong Kong and Myanmar.
They called for the three activists to be released, but no further steps were stated.
Two human rights groups called for the immediate release of three Gwangju Prize laureates detained in Hong Kong and Thailand.
The May 18 Memorial Foundation and the Network of Laureates of the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights said the detentions reflect a crisis of democracy in Asia.
Hong Kong human rights lawyer Chow Hang-tung is detained in Hong Kong.
Thai activists Arnon Nampa and Jatupat Boonpattararaksa are detained in Thailand.
The groups also expressed solidarity with activists defending democracy and human rights in Thailand, Hong Kong and Myanmar.
- Who
- The May 18 Memorial Foundation and the Network of Laureates of the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights called for the release of Chow Hang-tung, Arnon Nampa and Jatupat Boonpattararaksa.
- What
- They called for the immediate release of the three detained activists.
- When
- Sunday, October 11, 2026.
- Where
- Hong Kong and Thailand.
- Why
- The groups said the detentions reflect a crisis of democracy in Asia.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
reflect a crisis of democracy in Asia
We stand in solidarity with activists striving to defend democracy and human rights in Thailand, Hong Kong and Myanmar despite violence, imprisonment and restrictions on basic rights,
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Groups
- May 18 Memorial Foundation and Network of Laureates of the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights
- Activist
- Chow Hang-tung, detained in Hong Kong; 2023 laureate
- Activist
- Arnon Nampa, detained in Thailand; 2021 laureate
- Activist
- Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, detained in Thailand; 2017 laureate
- Prize established
- 2000
Sources
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